Heavenly Father Has a Plan!

Dear family and friends all over the world,

This is kind of a surprise email, I know. It was a little bit of surprise for me as well. This past week I have been to many doctors appointments and had so many tests done. But they just aren't able to figure out what is wrong. They say the stress fracture is completely healed but I am still having so much pain... and it is starting to spread. They are confused because that shouldn't be happening with a stress fracture. So now they think there is something else that might have caused the stress fracture and that is what they are trying to find. They found protruding disks in my back and think that might have been a contributing factor, but they still aren't sure. Sitting and standing hurts too bad and that is required in Spain and at the Referral center (and for life in general I guess:). So this past week I have counseled with all of the doctors I have been seeing, President Burgess (my mission president at the MTC), President Thomas (my District president), my parents, and most importantly my Heavenly Father. And we all came to the decision that I really needed to be at home to take care of my body and try to figure out what is going on. That isn't necessarily what I wanted or what I had in mind. MY plan was to stay at the MTC, get better, and head right back to Spain. I wanted to keep serving my full time mission and finish when I was supposed to finish. But I am learning everyday to recognize more clearly that Heavenly Father's plan isn't always our plan. Everything happens for a reason and we need to learn to align our will with His.

So Yesterday there were a lot of tears as I left the MTC not knowing if I would get to return and be a full time missionary again at this point in my life. I said goodbye to all of the missionaries in my district and my sweet companions, to President and Sister Thomas, to President and Sister Burgess, to Kristin Hatch, and to Kylie Smoot and her sweet companion (who have been like my little sisters at the MTC these past 3 weeks). I am so grateful for each one of those people and the impact they have had on my life in only 3 short weeks. I have learned something important from each of them, but I think the most important thing I have learned from ALL of them is that we are all children of our Heavenly Father. He loves us all so much and He has a perfect plan for us. And as we strive to accomplish that plan with a happy and willing heart then we really will see the blessings come from it. My mom and Abby came to pick me up yesterday and I cried so hard as we pulled out of the MTC. I was heartbroken to be leaving. But at the same time I had a smile on my face because I felt completely at peace. I knew it was the right decision to make. I knew without any doubt that Heavenly Father was a part of it and He is here with me helping me to accomplish His will and helping me to become who He needs me to come. So I am of course sad that I had to leave. And I don't know what the future holds now. But what I do know is that for these past 3 weeks I was supposed to be at the referral center. Heavenly Father needed me there so that I could learn everything I have learned while I was there. But I also know that now I am supposed to be here. I don't know what will happen in these next few weeks or months, but I have a feeling that Heavenly Father knows :) He has a plan. A perfect one. And I know that as we will just choose to act on the promptings we receive and the little pieces of light that we receive little by little then Heavenly Father will be able to send us more and illuminate the path before us and show us what steps we need to take next. It takes a lot of patience, faith, trust and hope, but I know that all these things that we go through in this life are to help us become who He needs us to become and they give us experience and they are for our good!

I was released, again, as a full time missionary last night and it was a very sweet experience with my Stake president. And for now I am going to keep looking ahead and heavenward as I go through the experiences that Heavenly Father has for me. I am going to be doing a lot of physical therapy and visiting with doctors. If I start getting better within the next 4 weeks then I am going to look at being able to go back to my mission again. But if not... I will keep working on getting better and completing the mission that He has for me to do here.

I am so grateful for the wonderful experiences I have had on my full time mission. Maybe I will keep having more, but if not I will hold on to those dear moments and keep them with me forever. I read a talk this week called "but if not" and loved it! (I would encourage you all to read it). I know that Heavenly Father has the power to heal me. He CAN do it, but it doesn't always mean that He will. Sometimes we have to learn and strengthen our faith by not being healed as Elder Bednar has taught us so many times. I have faith that He can heal me, but if not... I will wait patiently on His timing and keep pressing forward and striving to complete His will and not mine.

Thank you all for your prayers and all you have been doing for me! Your examples mean the world to me! I love you all!


Love,
Hermana Allie Eyring